Grade indicator stake flag holder

ABSTRACT

A bundle of stiff, resilient strands form a flag to be attached to the top of a grade stake for use in construction work such as road building. The cluster of strands are folded into a bight and held in two loops of a metal strip which also has a large loop which may either encircle a large nail or be driven into a wooden stake without splitting the stake.

United States Patent Carroll GRADE INDICATOR STAKE FLAG HOLDER [75] Inventor: Willard D. Carroll. Abilene Tex.

(73] Assignee. Robert A. Smith. Odessa Tex. at

part interest (22] Filed: Feb. I9, 1974 [21] Appl No: 443,296

[52] U.S. Cl .l ll6/ll4 R: 248/39 [51] Int. Cl.'-' GOID 2l/04 [58I Field of Search r Y l r v ll6/l73 l74, l75; 24/259 C, 8i PH; 248/3) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 3|7,59u www Obulcwicz 24:4/39

[ Sept. 9, 1975 Reilly H 248/39 Carroll lib/l 14 R Primary blmnn'rzer-Richard C Queisser Amismnr ljxcuniner-Damicl M Yasieh Almmey, Agent, 121' HrmWendell Coffee [57] ABSTRACT A bundle of stiff, resilient strands form n flag to he uttuehed to the top of a grade stake for use in construe tion work such as road building. The cluster of strands are folded into a bighl and held in two loops of a metal strip which also has a large loop which may ei' ther encircle u large nail or he driven intu u wooden stake without splitting the stake 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures GRADE INDICATOR STAKE FLAG HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention This invention relates to flags or indicators to indicate the top of a grade stake. (lI6/l l4) 2. Description of the Prior Art My prior US. Pat. No. 3.267.901, issued Aug. 23. 1966. described how a cluster or bundle of stiff. resilient strands may be attached to the top of a stake to aid in finding the top of a grade stake. commonly called a blue top". These indicators are commonly called flags". That patent described the attachment of the bundle of strands by a staple nailed into the top of a wooden stake. A large stake was required to avoid split ting the stake with the staple.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION New and Different Function I have found a better way to attach the bundle or cluster of strands to a grade stake. I attach the strands within a flag holder having loops of a strip of metal. This is advantageous from the point of manufacture. shipment and assembly.

More important. the flag holder does not split a wooden stake so readily. The flag holders of this application can be used commercially on wood stakes having /5 X /8 inch cross section.

Objects of this Invention An object of this invention is to increase the visibility of grade markers.

Another object is to improve the attachment of a flag to the top of a grade stake.

Other objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy. compact. durable. lightweight. simple. safe. efficient. versatile. and reliable. yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture. store. ship. and install.

The specific nature of the invention. as well as other objects. uses. and advantages thereof. will clearly ap pear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing. the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of an embodiment of this invention attached to the top of a large nail.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a wood stake with the same embodiment of this invention as seen in FIG. 1 attached in the top of the stake.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2 showing attachment of the flag holder in the stake.

FIG. 4 shows a grader blade as the grader blade would be before it passed over the flag in use.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing, a flag is formed of a bundle or cluster of stiff. resilient strands I0. As set forth in my previously mentioned patent. I have found synthetic monofilament well adapted for this purpose. Nylon is a suitable material. I have found that either blue or red provides good visibility.

The strands are attached within bent strip 12 of metal. The strip as seen in FIG. 3 has a shape somewhat resembling the Greek letter omega. [.e.. the strip has large cylindrical loop 14. On each end of the strip 12, there is small cylindrical loop 16. The metal in the small loops I6 is bent or circled in the opposite direction from the large loop I4. The bundle of strands I0 is bent. forming bight l8 and the bundle is encircled by each of the small loops 16 immediately adjacent the bight I8. Spur or starting point or tang 20 extends axially downward from the center of the large loop I4. The axes of the three loops are substantially parallel.

As seen in FIG. 1. the flag with holder may be attached to large nail 22. such as a 60p nail. by telescoping the shank of the nail through the large loop 14 with the flag extending above the head of the nail as illustrated. The shank of the nail and the large loop I4 are about A inch diameter.

Using wooden stake 24. the flag holder or the strip of metal I2 is driven with a hammer into the flat top of the wooden stake. In this instance. the starting point 20 helps start the holder to be driven into the top of the stake.

Although the description of the strip of metal I2 and holding of the strands is somewhat difficult to describe in words. the item is manufactured according to the drawing. In this regard. it is noted that the bottom of the small loops I6 are flush with the bottom of the large loop I4 except for the spur 20 which extends therebelow. However. the top of the small loops 16 are not as high as the top of the large loop 14. In fact. the large loop I4 is approximately twice the length measured axially thereof as the length of the small loops I6 measured axially. This permits the strands to be bent away slightly when driving the holder into the stake and gives the strands more flexibility when a grader blade 26 on machine 28 scrapes across. Stated another way. the top of the small loops I6 is about halfway up of the large loop 14. The strip is readily stamped from 24 gauge sheet metal and the strip is 2-I/I6 inches long before bending.

Thus. it may be seen. I have provided a blue top flag that is easy to manufacture. ship and readily attached to a stake or nail in the field immediately before use.

The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts. elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction. material. arrangement. and operation. and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific examples above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be. but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

SUBJECT MATTER CLAIMED FOR PROTECTION:

I claim as my invention: I. A flag holder for holding a flag made of a bundle of stiff. resilient strands comprising:

a. a strip of metal having i. a large loop with ii. two small loops on either side thereof iii. side by side,

3 4 b. the small loops encircling the bundle of strands imd. one small loop formed at one end of the strip.

mediately adjacent to a bight in the bundle Of e. the other small loop formed at the other end of the strands, strip, and e. the axes of the three loops pointing the same way. f the large l f r ed therebetwcen.

and 5 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 with an addid a wooden stake having a flat top anal limitation f e the large loop of the flag holder driven into the flat top of the wooden stake. 2. The invention as defined in claim l with an additional limitation of m d. a starter point in the form of a tang extending from the Center of the large loop 3. The invention as defined in claim l wherein g, said strip bent in the opposite direction for each small loop from the large loop. 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with an additional limitation of h. a starter point in the form ofa tang extending from the center of the large loop d. the top of the small loops are below the top of the The invention as defined in Claim 6 r in large loop. j. the top of the small loops are below the top of the 4. The invention as defined in claim I wherein the large loop.

holder is formed with 

1. A flag holder for holding a flag made of a bundle of stiff, resilient strands comprising: a. a strip of metal having i. a large loop with ii. two small loops on either side thereof iii. side by side, b. the small loops encircling the bundle of strands immediately adjacent to a bight in the bundle of strands, c. the axes of the three loops pointing the same way, and d. a wooden stake having a flat top, e. the large loop of the flag holder driven into the flat top of the wooden stake.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an additional limitation of d. a starter point in the form of a tang extending from the center of the large loop.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein d. the top of the small loops are below the top of the large loop.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder is formed with d. one small loop formed at one end of the strip, e. the other small loop formed at the other end of the strip, and f. the large loop formed therebetween.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 with an additional limitation of g. said strip bent in the opposite direction for each small loop from the large loop.
 6. The invention as Defined in claim 5 with an additional limitation of h. a starter point in the form of a tang extending from the center of the large loop.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein j. the top of the small loops are below the top of the large loop. 